[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11235]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            FAREWELL REMARKS FOR AMBASSADOR TATOUL MARKARIAN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 3, 2014

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and thank Ambassador 
Tatoul Markarian for his service as the Ambassador of the Republic of 
Armenia to the United States.
  A distinguished diplomat, the Ambassador has a long career in public 
service, having represented the people of Armenia both at home and 
around the world. Prior to his current position, he served as the 
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Special Representative of the 
President of Armenia for Nagorno Karabakh negotiations and as 
Ambassador to the Mexican States. Additionally, he served previously 
from 1994-1999 as the Deputy Chief of Mission for the Armenian Embassy 
in Washington.
  Before entering the Armenian Foreign Service, Ambassador Markarian 
served in the newly-independent Armenia's legislative and executive 
branches.
  I am proud of the work we have been able to accomplish together while 
Ambassador Markarian has been stationed in Washington for the last nine 
years. Together, we have fought together for Congressional Recognition 
of the Armenian Genocide, and foreign aid assistance to both the 
Nagorno Karabakh Republic and Armenia. As the founder and Co-Chair of 
the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, I have had the honor of 
working closely on these issues for more than twenty years.
  Today, the U.S.-Armenian relationship remains critically important. 
Armenia has been a crucial ally in a strategic region of the world by 
extending robust support for the U.S.-led peacekeeping deployments in 
Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo. Additionally, they have cooperated with 
the United States on a broad range of regional and security challenges. 
This relationship has been stewarded and advanced by Ambassador 
Markarian during his time in Washington.
  Ambassador Markarian has dedicated his life's work to our shared 
goals and the people of Armenia. I would like to offer my sincere 
thanks to him for his service here in the United States and offer both 
him and his family the best of luck as they move forward on to their 
next diplomatic posting.

                          ____________________